To Mask or Not To Mask

Barbara returns with supplies

"All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts."  -- William Shakespeare, born in April 1564


William Shakespeare was born and died in April, the cruelest month, according to poet T.S. Eliot.

Happy birthday, Will!

Will's birthday not withstanding, April 2020 has thus far been rather cruel for the world, given the infamous Covid-19 pandemic.

In one sense we have moved closer to removing the masks we don for our daily stage lives. Our stage is empty. Our roles have changed or in some cases have been eliminated altogether.

On the other hand -- or side of the face -- we have been asked to wear masks. These masks are designed to protect us, not so much the "I" but the "we": our community.

The irony, I think, is that our internal selves have become more visible when we wear our pandemic masks.

Go to the market and you see fear in the eyes of some, but not all. We are wearing masks for each other. We stand at 6-foot distance for the safety of all. Store clerks are more accommodating, handling products and punching numbers so that we don't need to touch them.  A helpful vibe pervades.

Our typical conversations with the island community, however, are not the same. We miss learning about islanders from talking story at the beach, at yoga classes in the community center, chats at the library, people-watching at happy hours, coffee houses and bakeries. We miss getting together with our friends and neighbors.

Most of all we miss seeing and touching our daughter and grandchildren, the most difficult sacrifice.

Two tradesmen have visited our condo for necessary repairs. Both wore masks and asked that we wear masks while they were inside working.

They each came with a spirit of aloha, no doubt happy to be working. They offered us more than their professional services, attending to their roles with modest and cordial expertise.

One came to replace old window blinds with new updated screens. He said that he was stopped at a checkpoint on his way here. Only essential business travelers are allowed on the roads.

"I told them I would turnaround if necessary," he said.

They waved him through, island style.

Speaking through the most sophisticated mask we have seen, he mentioned that he had grown up on Kauai, attended Kamehameha Schools. We learned that he has royal lineage, that he and his wife have traveled extensively through Southeast Asia, where they learned to wear masks.

"We got sick on every visit until we wore masks," he said. "Then we didn't become sick."

He went about his work quietly and diligently. We are very pleased with our new blinds.

Barbara had coordinated the installation with his wife over the phone. Theirs is a small family business.

Listening to their conversation on speaker phone, I wanted very badly to see the person with perhaps the most pleasant voice I have ever heard on the other end of the conversation.

When she completed the phone transaction, Barbara remarked:

"She is so sweet."

"We are such stuff that dreams are made on, And our little lives are rounded on a sleep." -- William Shakespeare -- The Tempest

It is believed that William Shakespeare wrote his best works during the Plague of 1593 when theaters were closed.